Core Insights - The Vanguard Mega Cap Growth ETF (MGK) and the State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) offer exposure to major U.S. companies, with SPY focusing on broad large-cap coverage and MGK targeting mega-cap growth stocks [1] Cost & Size Comparison - SPY has an expense ratio of 0.09% while MGK has a slightly lower expense ratio of 0.07% - As of February 3, 2026, SPY's 1-year return is 14.38% compared to MGK's 14.27% - SPY offers a higher dividend yield of 1.07% versus MGK's 0.35% - SPY has assets under management (AUM) of $712 billion, significantly larger than MGK's $32 billion - SPY has a beta of 1.00, indicating it moves in line with the S&P 500, while MGK has a higher beta of 1.20, indicating greater volatility [2][3] Performance & Risk Analysis - Over the past five years, SPY experienced a maximum drawdown of -24.50%, while MGK faced a deeper drawdown of -36.02% - An investment of $1,000 would have grown to $1,805 in SPY and $1,892 in MGK over five years, indicating MGK's marginally stronger growth but higher volatility [4] Portfolio Composition - MGK's portfolio is heavily weighted in technology at 55%, followed by communication services at 17% and consumer cyclical at 13%, holding a total of 60 stocks with Nvidia, Apple, and Microsoft as top positions [5] - SPY provides broader diversification with approximately 35% in technology, 13% in financial services, and 11% in communication services, featuring over 500 large-cap stocks [6] Investment Implications - SPY is suitable for investors seeking greater diversification and stability, while MGK's focused approach may yield higher returns over time despite its higher volatility [7][8] - Growth ETFs like MGK have greater earning potential but also experience more significant price swings, as evidenced by its deeper max drawdown and higher beta [9]

Core Insights - The Vanguard S&P 500 Growth ETF (VOOG) focuses on growth stocks within the S&P 500, while the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO) tracks the entire S&P 500 index [2][10] Cost & Size Comparison - VOOG has an expense ratio of 0.07% and VOO has a lower expense ratio of 0.03% - As of December 17, 2025, VOOG's one-year return is 13.67% compared to VOO's 10.73% - VOO offers a higher dividend yield of 1.12% versus VOOG's 0.48% - VOOG has an AUM of $21.7 billion, while VOO has a significantly larger AUM of $1.5 trillion [3][4] Performance & Risk Comparison - Over five years, VOOG has a maximum drawdown of -32.74%, while VOO's is -24.53% - A $1,000 investment in VOOG would grow to $1,904 over five years, compared to $1,816 for VOO [5] Holdings & Sector Exposure - VOO holds all 505 stocks in the S&P 500, with a sector exposure led by technology at 37% - Top holdings in VOO include Nvidia, Apple, and Microsoft, providing broad market exposure [6] - VOOG focuses on 217 growth-oriented stocks, with a heavier tilt toward technology at 45%, leading to higher returns but also increased volatility [7][11] Implications for Investors - VOOG has delivered higher one-year and five-year total returns but comes with deeper drawdowns and more volatility compared to VOO - VOO is broader, more diversified, and offers a higher dividend yield at a lower expense ratio - VOOG's concentration in growth names may lead to higher returns, but it also results in less diversification [9][11]

Core Insights - Many investors are increasingly prioritizing S&P 500 exposure in their portfolios, highlighting a trend towards reliance on this benchmark [1] Group 1: S&P 500 Dependency - The S&P 500 is becoming more dependent on its key holdings and a reduced number of sectors, which poses a potential risk for investors [1]